VC firm Antler invests in 12 startups in Singapore cohort, Covid-19 program

Early-stage VC firm Antler announced it has invested in 12 startups from its fifth Singapore program and its Covid-19 initiative.

Photo credit: Antler

Antler’s Covid-19 initiative, launched in April 2020, aims to invest in startups working in the areas of mitigation, medical equipment, remote health, and digital tools. Antler said the program attracted over 1,500 applications from 100 countries.

It also disclosed that it received 3,100 applications for its latest Singapore cohort, which has been trimmed down to 70 individuals. The founders among Antler Singapore’s fifth cohort come with an average of 11 years of working experience and complementary skills in business, tech, product, domain expertise, and marketing.

All in all, Antler invested in 12 startups operating in the software as a service, fintech, healthtech, AI, insurtech, and art tech sectors, among others. This brings the company’s total number of investments in the region to 76.

Here are Antler’s new portfolio companies:

• ArtWallSt, a platform that matches artworks to bistros, cafes, retail stores, and workspaces where emerging artists can reach art lovers.
• B|ver, which helps analyze voice messages and transcribed text from sales calls, learns the behavior of top sales representatives, codifies them into AI, and uses AI to guide other reps in real time.
• Bluesheets, a bookkeeping automation platform that automates the manual data entry process and brings financial transparency to organizations.
• Brick, a financial data application programming interface (API) that allows developers to offer in-app financial services.
• DayOne, an SaaS platform for training frontline workers via micro-learning and micro-tasking to boost their performance.
• Fig Health, a healthcare company that offers direct-to-consumer at-home health screening and coaching as well as supplements for women.
• Forma, a no-code platform for building customized workflows for business processes.
• Surer, a cloud-based web platform that helps intermediaries work with clients and insurers with speed and efficiency through automation.
• Locad, a cloud-based solution for global ecommerce fulfillment.
• Breathonix, which develops novel breath tests for disease detection.
• PocketPet, an all-in-one mobile app that connects pet owners to vets and other service providers.
• EatMatch, a social app that helps young adults and millennials find new connections and activities to do together.

Antler also announced that it has partnered with the Singapore government agency Enterprise Singapore to launch the Antler Spark initiative. The new program, which is scheduled to start at the end of February, aims to train 450 aspiring entrepreneurs in Singapore by imparting with them the skills and knowledge in building a tech company.

According to the VC firm, it has invested in 250 firms globally, including 76 tech startups in Southeast Asia, since 2018.